SicilyThe US Provisional Corps continues to mop up the western part of island, taking a record number of prisoners. Small port of Castellammare del Golfo surrenders to Col Reuben H. Tucker's 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the afternoon without a fight. The big prize, Trapani, is attacked by Gen Matthew Ridgway's troops at 4:00pm and the Italians under Vice Adm Giuseppe Manfredi surrender at 7:00pm.
The US II Corps pursues the enemy eastward, the 45th Division in the coastal sector and the 1st Division on the southern flank. The 45th Division takes Cefalu and Castelbuono. The 1st Division overruns Gangi and attacks toward Nicosia. This sector is defended by Gen Giacomo Romano's Aosta Division and by Group Fullriede, reinforced by the 129th Panzer Grenadier Regiment under Lt-Col Fritz Fullriede. They are in a defensive line covering Nicosia in a rough arc, leaving only a combat outpost line supported by light artillery to oppose the Americans. |
| [ July 23rd - July 25th] |